I have recently retired from KPMG after a 35 year career working in corporate audit, transaction services and latterly the public sector. I am a fluent German speaker and after qualifying as a UK Chartered Accountant in 1989, I moved to KPMG in Düsseldorf as an Audit manager. On my return to KPMG in the Midlands, at a time of significant German inward investment, I established KPMG's German Desk to coordinate work with German and U.K. clients. I returned to KPMG Germany in 1997 to support the new Transaction Services business working with UK and US investors looking to acquire German Public and Family Owned businesses. On entering the UK KPMG partnership in 1999, I worked across PLC and Private Capital Audits and also led significant cross - border transactions in Germany and Russia. I was responsible for audit reports under UK, German and US GAAP / Sarbanes Oxley. In 2005 I was asked to lead the KPMG Midlands Transaction Services team. In this role I developed relationships across the Corporate and Private Equity sectors and led a number of high profile deals. In 2008 I returned to KPMG in Germany, to Frankfurt, to support the Transaction Services team grow its Corporate Deals business. On returning to Birmingham in 2010, I joined the Public Sector team with a remit to facilitate closer working between KPMG’s Private and Public businesses. Since 2015 I took on a Market Development role and have designed and led KPMG’s client relationship strategy with the Metro Mayor, the West Midlands Combined Authority and regional government across the region. I also led on CSR for KPMG in the Midlands and through this work developed a strong relationship with many third sector and charitable organisations in the region. I am chair of CORE, a central Birmingham based School Academy Trust, a board member of the City REDI Institute at the University of Birmingham and to 2019 chaired the Greater Birmingham Professional Services Academy.